Boulevard drive was a flurry of activity as dozens of people walked around with a sense of urgency. The county government had put out advertisements for jobs and hundreds of people were going out of their way to submit applications. Jessica was caught right in the middle of the chaos. This had been the first thought when she woke up in the morning. She had been so eager to take up this job because it was within her hometown. After seeing the children off to school, Jessica had borrowed her father’s car and driven to the county offices. After establishing the drop off office, she parked the car on the edge of the parking lot. She picked up the envelope with copies of her credentials and placed it on top of the car before she strapped the baby on the carrier. She could see a crowd surging towards one building and she walked in that direction. All of a sudden, the crowd surged and the main door in the building was kicked open. People began to push and shove and Jessica saw one man runni
It was a bright Sunday morning and the mood in the room was relaxed. Ella and Blake had woken up earlier and shared a shower which had led them straight back to bed. After a steamy session of lovemaking, the couple lay in bed in silent reflection. Blake finally broke the silence when he kissed Ella’s forehead.“Maybe we should get out of bed now,” he said as he cuddled her closer. “You make the bed very cosy. I could stay here all day,” she said. She planted a gentle kiss on his chest and then she sat up. Blake pulled her back into the bed and gave her a long hard kiss. Ella could see the look of pure desire in his eyes and she knew exactly what he wanted. “I thought we were getting out of bed,” she said teasingly. “It’s still early. We could…” he said trailing kisses along her shoulder and neckline. He moaned deeply when a faint gasp escaped from her lips. Soon they were locked in another kiss but it was not long before a persistent knock interrupted them.“Daddy, open the door,”
Ella did not consider herself to be a product of a humble upbringing. She had been brought up in a modest home with two loving parents and two elder brothers. She loved being the last born because everyone went out of their way to teach her all sorts of new things. Additionally, her parents had provided her with a comfortable house where she had her own room. She had never felt less than adequate even when she interacted with people of more affluent background. That was until she took a drive with Blake to his old house.It all started when they were about 2kms away from Blake’s house. Ella could clearly observe the change in affluence as they drove from her simple house. The scenery had slowly transitioned crowded shopping centres with massive foot traffic, to a more serene atmosphere that was interrupted by a lone shopping mall here and there. As they went further on, the malls faded away and the scene changed to large expanses of land. Huge mansions were scattered in each of the su
The smell of freshly made pancakes filled the air at the hotel suite. A heavily loaded table was set with fluffy pancakes, waffles, pies and cereal. Another tray held brewed coffee, milk, freshly squeezed juice and assorted fruits. It was Monday morning and everyone was setting the pace for the week. Ella, Jason and Blake had spent the night in a luxurious suite and they were having breakfast. Jason was getting ready to have an online study session because Blake had chosen not to take him to school. He was still worried about the breach in privacy in his home and he wanted it resolved. Jason was having the time of his life spending the morning in the hotel suite while ordering food and drinks of his choice. Ella was also enjoying the rest and relaxation and the online shopping spree that had resulted in an assortment of clothes being shipped to the suite. Blake was the only one having a hard time. He had sent both his phone and Ella’s to a security agent so that any tracks could be r
A pregnant woman is like a rollercoaster. You never know when she is up or down. This had been the experience for Blake over the last few months as Ella’s pregnancy progressed. The first few months had been difficult as Ella could barely keep any food down. She had tried different medication but nothing seemed to be working. Everything had changed in her sixth month as the nausea and morning sickness had ended completely. She had regained her appetite in a big way and she and the baby had thrived. Blake was enjoying all the ups and downs of the pregnancy because Ella depended on him completely. She called him when she was feeling unwell, or when she had cravings and even when she was in a bad mood. Blake was loving the attention and he doted on Ella every chance that he got. Jason had also noticed the changes and he was very gentle with Ella. He had completely begun to address her as mum and Ella had not had the heart to stop him. They still enjoyed the drives back and from school du
The past three days had been long for the Raymond family. As each member of the family nursed their injuries in separate rooms, the family longed for the time when they would go home and be together again. Blake and Ella often visited Jason together and kept him company. They would also visit the baby and sit with her. Ella looked forward to holding her daughter and breastfeeding her. She was in actual pain from the milk filling her breasts, and she had begun to pump out the milk. That was one of the reasons why she was excited when the doctor said that the baby could now be reunited with her mother. Her weight gain had been impressive and she was able to breathe on her own. The paediatric nurse had brought the baby to Ella’s room and Ella had shed some tears when she was able to hold and breastfeed her for the first time. Blake and Jason had both fallen in love with the baby. They had even relocated their visits to Ella’s room. They had meals together and spent as much time as possi
The bright city lights felt like a soothing balm for Jessica as the taxi drove her to her hotel. She had come to the city for a short work seminar that would last one week, and had decided to contact Ella and catch up with her. She was surprised when found out that Ella was now a mother and was currently in hospital nursing a newborn. Ella and Jessica had spent a nice afternoon catching up and Jessica had left feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She was happy to make things right with Ella and this made her feel like she had made up for the harm Kevin had done to her. Ella had supported her financially when she was really desperate and now she was happy that they were both settled and comfortable. Jessica finally arrived at the hotel and was walking to the lobby when she spotted a familiar face. “Eddie,” she said as she walked to the man who was talking to the receptionist. “Yes, Sorry I can’t remember you,” the man said politely.“”I’m Jessica. You helped me at
Blake let out a loud laugh and stared at his parents as though they were aliens. “I saw Samantha when she was pregnant. We lived under the same roof and I saw her get bigger and bigger every month. I took her for every doctor’s appointment and saw every ultrasound in real time. I was even there when my son was born. Nothing you are saying makes sense,” Blake said. “I know it doesn’t but we don’t have the answers you are looking for. Ella is the only one who can unravel this mystery,” Clark said.“Did she put you up to this sick joke?” Blake asked as he pointed at his mother. He really loathed her at this moment. “You can test them all again if you don’t believe me. I have nothing to gain from this,” Aurelia said smugly.“Ella was not even in the country when Jason was born. I’m sure of that. She had left the country months before Jason was even conceived,” Blake continued. “Don’t be so quick to judge your mother son. Do the tests for yourself and then make up your mind. I will con
“Dad, if you were in my shoes what would you do to your parents?” Blake asked when they were left alone.“Son, it’s been a long day. Let me go and get checked by a real professional. We can discuss other things later,” Aurelia said.“Your daughter in law just saved your life yet you cannot give her the slightest bit of respect?” Mr Raymond asked.“I don’t have a daughter in law. Besides, I didn’t ask her to touch me with her filthy hands,” Aurelia said. Blake’s eyes turned ice cold.“Your stinking attitude just made things much easier for me mum. As of two hours ago, your passport has been recalled and you no longer have diplomatic immunity. There are some people outside who will escort you out
“What is the meaning of this?” Aurelia asked.‘Have a seat mum,” Blake said as he sat down and pulled Ella on the seat next to him. His parents sat down reluctantly while Blake dismissed the security personnel.“Mum, please meet the governor Richard and his girlfriend Jessica. I’m sure you have met Kevin before,” Blake said.“I have never seen that man in my life,” Aurelia said haughtily.“Well, let me play a little video that will help you jog your memory,” Blake said. The tv switched on to show Rose, Kevin and Aurelia in a luxury hotel having dinner in a private room. Their conversation revolved around building a solid case that would ensure that Ella was put behind bars. Ella was so shocked that s
The VIP lounge at the airport had suddenly turned to a buzz as a certain celebrity came into the country. Mrs Aurelia Raymond took advantage of the chaos to slip out of the lounge and into the company of Rose. Aurelia had spotted one of Blake’s men waiting for her but she wanted to bypass him so she could communicate with Rose without any interception.“Why did you take so long?” Rose asked irritably.“I think you have forgotten who I am, young lady. I don’t owe you any explanations,” Aurelia said. She took out her compact kit and began dusting her face.“I’m sorry madam. I’m just a little anxious,” Rose said as she rolled her eyes. If it wasn’t for the fact that she had been unable to infiltrate the Raymonds finances then she wouldn
“What do you want to do today?” Richard asked Jessica. They had returned to the hotel room after the buffet breakfast and Jessica was reading a book.“I thought I would buy some gifts for the children,” Jessica said.“Ok. I’ll come with you,” Richard said.“Are you not going to visit Eddie?” Jessica asked.“We can go in the afternoon,” Richard said.“I wanted to talk to you about something,” Jesssica said.“I’m listening.”“I was just wondering what you did with Kevin,” Jessica said. Richard’s face darkened and
It was the weekend and Tokodi and Tracy woke up mid morning. They showered together and changed, then packed all of Tracy’s things and headed home. Tracy was eager to open her gifts and she began to do so. Each gift was thoughtful and impressive and Tracy ended up showering Tokodi with many kisses. By the time she opened all the gifts, Tokodi was feeling like the king of the universe. He helped Tracy to unpack and arrange her jewellery, clothes and appliances that he had bought her. Tracy looked as happy as a child eating ice cream, and she even shed a few tears when Tokodi said that he had bought all those gifts to celebrate their engagement. Later that afternoon, Tokodi went out to buy some groceries and toiletries while Tracy cleaned up the house. He had been itching to leave the house so that he could attend a meeting with Blake.Tokodi had woken up that morning and taken Blake’s numb
Back at the Raymond residence, there was confusion and excitement amongst the staff. Only one driver was aware of when Ella had returned, and he explained how he had simply picked her up from an apartment complex. He had been with the Raymond family for years and he knew how to be discreet while releasing just enough information to generate some counter intelligence. The man could clearly recall the animated conversation which he had subsequently narrated to Blake.“Are you sure you picked her up from an apartment? I was there when the police dragged her out of the house. Blake must have picked her up from a police station,” Dora said. She had come downstairs with rage and explained to the other staff members how Blake’s criminal ex-wife had sneaked back into the house.“We picked her up at a middle class estate. I don&
“You are a really good dancer,” Tokodi said to Tracy when she returned from the dance floor. She took a large gulp of her drink and sat down.“You should join me for the next one,” Tracy said as she tapped her foot in rhythm to the music.“I have two left feet,” Tokodi said as he watched the flushed look on Tracy’s face. They had decided to enter this night club when Tracy heard the invigorating music from outside. He was accompanying her as she went to pick up her things from the serviced apartment she had been staying at.“How do you get sleep with this noise?” Tokodi asked. The serviced apartment was adjacent to the club and the walls were literally vibrating because of the beat.&ldqu
“Is everything okay?” Jessica asked Richard. He was staring at his phone during breakfast and had barely touched his food.“I’ve been trying to call Eddie since last night. The phone keeps ringing and he doesn’t respond,” Richard said.“That is odd. Do you think maybe he left the phone in his car? It’s still early in the morning and he may not have noticed,” Jessica said. Richard shook his head in disagreement.“He doesn’t usually leave his phone unattended. His work calls come in at all times of the day,” Richard said.“Maybe I should call Ella. She may know where it is since they work together and they are dating,” Jessica said. Richard nodded in approval and Jessica removed her phone f
Ella woke up feeling confused in her new home with Blake. She stirred out of sleep and looked around the elegant bedroom tastefully furnished with brown and white hues. She sat up wondering how she had ended up in bed while all she could remember was drinking milk and eating cookies at the sofa.Ella took a cold shower and dressed as she wondered If Eddie and Bryer were ok. She looked around and could not see any of the bloody clothes from the day before. Ella used the brand new toiletries that had been laid out and she finished getting ready.She was feeling a little hungry and wondered what time it was. There was no clock in the bedroom and she still had no idea where her phone was. Her phone had been in her handbag which had remained in Eddie’s car. Tracy felt tears fill her eyes when she remembered how Eddie had been shot. She had never known that Blake could be so violent and cruel. The mem